Colonial families did not necessarily have as many children as one might think. The average family in the American colonies had between five and eight children, with larger families being the exception rather than the rule. While economic factors and religious beliefs did indeed play a role in population growth, it is important to note that the high infant and child mortality rates of the time acted as natural checks on population growth. Therefore, the notion of colonial families having excessively large families is a somewhat exaggerated perception.